PREFACE.

So many false reports have got aboat concerning the life and opinions of JOSHUA DAVIDSON, the Cornish carpenter, that I feel it to be a duty I owe his memory to tell the truth as I know it; leaving the world to judge between what I, his nearest friend, knew of him, and what gossips and his enemies have falsely said. As I am neither a gentleman nor a scholar I have not pretended to any graces of style; and I have not tried to make an amusing story. My little book is more a record of what JOSHUA said and thought than of what happened to him through others: that is, there is next to

no dramatic interest in it. Neither do I care to give my name. Those who know JOSHUA will know who I am well enough; and if I have said anything wrong they can come forward and challenge me. And for the rest it does not signify. I have written merely for truth's sake and love's; and with this I leave my dear friend's memory to the verdict of all honest hearts.

JOHN.

CHAPTER I.

JOSHUA DAVIDSON was the only son of a village carpenter, born in the small hamlet of Trevalga on the North Cornwall coast, in the year 1835. His parents were poor but worthy people, who kept themselves very much together and had but little to do with the neighbours. Folks blamed this for pride, and said they held themselves high because they were the decayed branches of an ancient family - some said dating from King Arthur's self. Of course this was only

B

an "Arthurian legend," if I may call it so, that could not be verified; for naturally down about Tintagel everything has to do with King Arthur- even the choughs. Joshua sometimes spoke of it, but not from pride; there never was a man freer from that failing than he; rather from the belief he had in what a learned man would call hereditary transmission, but as we say, just "in the blood," and a kind of idea that dawned on him, quite of late years, that there would be a revival of national glories, national names and leaders, under new aspects but from the ancient sources. And if so, might he not count for something, direct descendant as he believed he was of the hero whose Castle had been one of his earliest playgrounds, and on whose Quoit he had spent many an hour of way-side dream

ing? It was a fancy; a harmless one; so let it pass for just as much as it was worth.

There was nothing very remarkable about Joshua's childhood. He was always a quiet, thoughtful boy, and from his earliest years noticeably pious. His parents came of the Friends' stock; not of a strict kind themselves, for they joined in the Church services; but the fact is just an indication of the kind of influences which helped to mould him in early youth. He had a habit of asking why, and of reasoning out a principle, from quite a little lad; which displeased people; so that he did not get all the credit from the schoolmaster and the clergyman to which his diligence and good conduct entitled him. They thought him troublesome, and some said he was self-conceited; which he never was; but